German and International Volunteers Meet for a Joint Seminar
Thabelo Mukhuba, a South-North volunteer with ELM, shares her experiences
On the 31st of October the German and international volunteers from ELM came together for their first ever joint seminar in Germany Although we are part of the same volunteer programme, we are at different stages of our journeys. The international volunteers have been in Germany for around six months, while the German volunteers had just returned from their year of service in countries including Argentina, Brazil, Lesotho, Paraguay and South Africa.
Learning From Each Other
Bringing the two groups together was one of the most valuable parts of the seminar. I was especially interested in meeting volunteers who had spent almost a year in South Africa. I wanted to hear about their experiences, the challenges they had faced and how their time there had changed them. During the week, I spoke to many of the volunteers and realised that although everyone's experience depended on their individual project and country, there were also many similarities.
One thing that stood out was that many felt their time abroad had been too short and that they would like to return one day. Several spoke openly about difficult experiences, loneliness and moments when things did not go as planned and how some challenges of volunteering abroad come from being away from home, adapting to a new environment and finding your place. This felt reassuring and made me reflect on my own experience in Germany. I have learned how important it is to stay connected with other volunteers who are going through something similar. Spending time together, sharing experiences and staying connected can make difficult moments easier.
The exchange between the two groups was also something the German volunteers themselves valued highly. Many described the conversations with fellow volunteers as one of their most important takeaways. Some even wished there had been more time for personal reflection and cultural exchange. This showed that voluntary service is not only about what happens at our individual placements. A large part of the experience comes from the people we meet and what we learn from one another.
Different Ways of Expressing Faith
Our evening devotions also reflected the diversity within the volunteer programme. Each evening, a different group connected to a different part of the world led the devotion, with contributions from Africa, Europe, Latin America and Asia/India. There were songs, different styles of prayer and other ways of expressing faith. I enjoyed seeing how differently people can express their faith, it was a small but meaningful example of what cultural exchange can look like.
Remembering and Reflecting
Another significant part of the seminar was our visit to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. We have learned about German history in school, but being physically present at a place where so many people suffered felt very different from reading about it in a classroom. There was something difficult about seeing a place that can appear so ordinary today while knowing what happened there.The visit made me think about the responsibility we have to remember history and learn from it. Although I cannot compare my own experience with that of the people who suffered there, I found myself trying to imagine what that experience must have been like. For me, this also connects with Christianity: faith should encourage us to treat other people with dignity, compassion and respect.
The joint creative session gave us another way to reflect on what voluntary service means to us. We worked in small groups to create pieces of a large puzzle. Each piece represented our own understanding of voluntary service, but together they formed one larger picture. I found this to be a fitting image for the seminar itself. We came from different countries and cultures, had different experiences and were at different stages of our journeys, but we were still part of the same larger experience. My group created a colourful world map with the South African flag beside it. For me, it represented my responsibility to share something of South Africa with the world. South Africa, often described as the rainbow nation, has many cultures, stories and experiences that can be shared with others. At the same time, living in Germany has reminded me that cultural exchange is not only about what I can teach others. It is also about what I can learn from them.
The seminar also encouraged us to think beyond our time as volunteers. We discussed the impact of voluntary service during the year and afterwards, as well as opportunities to remain engaged with society and ELM. This was another important takeaway: the end of a volunteer year does not necessarily mean the end of the relationships, lessons or responsibility that come from it. The week ended with a service and a celebration for the German volunteers, who received their certificates after completing their year of service. Seeing them reach the end was inspiring. It also made me think about my own journey and the six months that remain. The German volunteers showed us that the challenges we face can be overcome and that, before we know it, our own year will also be coming to an end. Rather than worrying about how quickly the time is passing, I want to spend the next six months enjoying the experience, continuing to learn, staying connected and making the most of the people and opportunities around me. I left the seminar encouraged about the second half of my own journey.
